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- Sat Mar 11, 2017 12:58 pm
#33380
Complete Question Explanation
Justify the Conclusion. The correct answer choice is (B)
This literary critic points out the fact that, because folk tales are traditional stories told in interesting ways, people might think that such tales lack deep meaning. The critic says that this is not the case, based on the fact that folktales are passed from generation to generation, providing insight into the culture’s wisdom as each storyteller adds to the tale. The argument breaks down as follows:
Answer choice (A): This choice provides that a tale that gets passed along for generations can provide great insight into the wisdom of the culture. However, the author has already provided that Folk tales do provide great insights. Since this choice provides no additional support for the author’s argument, it should be ruled out of contention for this Justify question.
Answer choice (B): This is the correct answer choice. This provides an assumption which can be added to the information in the stimulus to fully justify the author’s conclusion:
Answer choice (C): This choice provides that not every story without deep meaning is just for entertainment. In other words, there are some stories without deep meaning that are told to provide more than just entertainment. This does not apply to this stimulus about folk tales, which the author asserts, do have deep meaning, so it cannot justify the author’s conclusion, and this cannot be the right answer choice.
Answer choice (D): The author provides that folk tales provide great insight into the wisdom of a culture, and concludes that they have deep meaning. This choice provides that if a tale has deep meaning, it provides great insights into the wisdom of the culture:
This is, in a sense, the opposite of correct answer choice (B). This answer does not justify the author’s conclusion and should be ruled out of contention.
Answer choice (E): The author’s conclusion is that, despite the fact that they are told in an entertaining way, Folk tales do not lack a deeper meaning—that is, they have a deeper meaning. This choice provides that stories that are told primarily for entertainment don’t necessarily lack deeper meaning; in other words, it is merely possible that they could have a deeper meaning. This choice is more weakly worded than the author’s conclusion, and it does not justify the author’s argument, especially considering that the author does not say that folk tales are told primarily for entertainment—just that they are told in an entertaining way. Therefore this is not the answer choice that justifies the author’s conclusion.
Justify the Conclusion. The correct answer choice is (B)
This literary critic points out the fact that, because folk tales are traditional stories told in interesting ways, people might think that such tales lack deep meaning. The critic says that this is not the case, based on the fact that folktales are passed from generation to generation, providing insight into the culture’s wisdom as each storyteller adds to the tale. The argument breaks down as follows:
- Premise:
Folk tales are passed through the generations, giving insight into the cultural wisdom as each storyteller adds something of his or her own to the tale.
Conclusion: Therefore, such tales do not lack deeper meaning (that is, they do have deep meaning).
Answer choice (A): This choice provides that a tale that gets passed along for generations can provide great insight into the wisdom of the culture. However, the author has already provided that Folk tales do provide great insights. Since this choice provides no additional support for the author’s argument, it should be ruled out of contention for this Justify question.
Answer choice (B): This is the correct answer choice. This provides an assumption which can be added to the information in the stimulus to fully justify the author’s conclusion:
- Premise: Folk tales provide insight into a culture’s wisdom as each storyteller adds to the story.
- Justified conclusion: Folk tales (despite being entertaining) do not lack deep meaning.
- Premise: Folk tales
insight into wisdom of culture.
Justifying answer choice: insight into wisdom of culture deep meaning
Justified Conclusion: Folk tales insight into wisdom deep meaning
Answer choice (C): This choice provides that not every story without deep meaning is just for entertainment. In other words, there are some stories without deep meaning that are told to provide more than just entertainment. This does not apply to this stimulus about folk tales, which the author asserts, do have deep meaning, so it cannot justify the author’s conclusion, and this cannot be the right answer choice.
Answer choice (D): The author provides that folk tales provide great insight into the wisdom of a culture, and concludes that they have deep meaning. This choice provides that if a tale has deep meaning, it provides great insights into the wisdom of the culture:
- (deep meaning great insights)
This is, in a sense, the opposite of correct answer choice (B). This answer does not justify the author’s conclusion and should be ruled out of contention.
Answer choice (E): The author’s conclusion is that, despite the fact that they are told in an entertaining way, Folk tales do not lack a deeper meaning—that is, they have a deeper meaning. This choice provides that stories that are told primarily for entertainment don’t necessarily lack deeper meaning; in other words, it is merely possible that they could have a deeper meaning. This choice is more weakly worded than the author’s conclusion, and it does not justify the author’s argument, especially considering that the author does not say that folk tales are told primarily for entertainment—just that they are told in an entertaining way. Therefore this is not the answer choice that justifies the author’s conclusion.